Patriot Day

via me!

It's hard to believe its been 10 years since that fateful day.   I remember it like it was yesterday however.   I was in Bellevue staying at the Hilton.    It was a busy time of year for me when I had to go to all 5 states and train everyone on the new products coming out.  We did this twice a year.   Myself and the various vendors would have a road show of sorts and travel from state to state and all of my people would come for a one day training off the floor.   This said I had people with me in Seattle from all over to do the training.   We had done the first day and all had gone great and then I woke up on the second day.......

I was used to traveling and had down a routine of sorts.   Wake up call and then roll over and turn on the tv.   When I turned on the tv that morning I couldn't believe what I saw.   It just didn't register.   It was 6 am PST or a little after maybe....that part is foggy but I do remember clear as day seeing the second plane crashing into the tower.   At this point however I had no clue what was going on and that the first tower had been hit already.  But then it all unfolded and I had no idea what to do.........

I think I did what lot of people did.  Went into auto pilot.  This was my training and I was in charge and lets face it Nordstrom doesn't shut down for much so I better get ready and go in.   Apparently nobody else knew what to do either and everyone showed up at the training.   Nordstrom at Bell Square opened as scheduled and we all gathered in the training room upstairs and tired to get some reception from the tv we had to get updates.   I had a vendor there from NY.   I had a employee who had a family member who was flying that day and we weren't sure where they were or if they were ok.   It turned out the family member was fine but that took a while to find out.   I know a lot of other people didn't get as good of news that day.  Since the airports were all closed my NY vendor was stuck and he knew that.   We ended up cancelling the training and Nordstrom even closed around 11 am that day.   I remember being one of the last people to leave the store and walking out and seeing one of the last cars pull out of the parking lot......a white Land Rover (so very Bellevue).  

Lets remember I live in Portland and I'm stuck in Bellevue.......G and I had just started dating and he couldn't  leave work to come get me.  Thankfully my parents took off from Salem and I just had to go back to the hotel and wait for them.   That was a lonely and scary 4 hours.   I don't remember much about it except for I was scared.   But they arrrived scooped me up and we heading back down the 405 to I5 and on home to Portland.   Thankful am I that I have parents that would pretty much do anything in the world for me.   And that I lived within driving distance.  My NY vendor was stuck for about 3 days.   I remember him saying that he would go to eat at restaurants and people would hear he was one of the stranded ones and they would not think of charging him for his meals.  Now that's the kind of heart warmer you like to hear.   Hotels also gave discounts during this time to people who were stranded.  

I was supposed to go to Colorado the next week.  Needless to say that didn't happen.   Nordstrom wouldn't let us fly for one week and then after that it was up to us.  In this job I was pretty much in the air every week.   But I didn't start flying again for about 3 weeks and even then I only went to Seattle.   It seemed safe to be on a smaller plane.  However our lives in airports would never be the same.   Security was tighter but the airports weren't that busy for the first couple of months after.   And at first we were all willing to jump through whatever hoops they wanted us to for security reasons.   We were scared to fly - whether we said it or not.   In a way I'm glad I had a job that made me fly again.   I remember getting in a car accident once and my dad made me drive right away after it.  I of course didn't want to but he made me so I wouldn't be freaked out about driving.   Smart man my dad.  

As Americans I think we had taken for granted how lucky we were to live in a pretty safe world.   I would hope that after that day if we had ever taken it for granted that we don't do that now.   And that every day we are thankful for our lives and the brave people around us - not just on "Patriot Day".  

We are rebuliding the towers.   I think that is silly.   My opinion only.   I would not want to work or live by or in or anywhere near them to be honest.   There are evil people in the world.   Very evil and who is to say they won't try it again.   I do however love the idea of the reflecting pools.   Water - especially moving water - is always healing. 

On a brighter note today is also my friend J's bday!  Its a big one as well.   So today I will celebrate his day as well.  Afterall he is a special person to me and one that brings love and light into my world.   Those people are hard to find.   Hauoli la hanau my friend!   May your year be filled with wonderful suprises!